If you are an animal lover, welcoming a new pet into the family should be a momentous and celebrated occasion. See these top tips to help you with the process from pet selection to the preparation of your home to welcome the new addition.
Choose the right match for you
Think of your own lifestyle before choosing a breed. For example, if you lead a fast-paced lifestyle and you love to exercise, then choosing a pet that can keep up with you is only going to end up enhancing your journey together even more. On the other hand, if you prefer a more laid-back approach to life, selecting a pet that loves to sit back and relax with you on the couch from time to time is probably your best bet. Here, the key is looking into the temperament of the pet to see if both your personalities align with each other. If you’re planning on adopting a dog, the ATT test should be of help in this regard.
Do you have the necessary space?
Depending on your living arrangements, you may have to look into getting a pet that can adjust to his new environment easily. For example, larger breed dogs such as Labradors and Bull mastiffs usually require a large yard to roam free in. On the other hand, if you live in a smaller property such as a condo or apartment, this may be suitable for smaller breeds such as a Poodle, A Pomeranian, or a Beagle. Cats also adjust well to apartment living.
Prepping your home beforehand
You’ll want your home to be adequately prepared for your pet’s arrival. This is where shopping for basic pet supplies online can save you a ton of time, ensuring you have the essentials in place for the time being. Visit PetSmart, PetCo, or Chewy to find what you need. Read reviews before you go out and purchase everything you need in one go, as trusted reviews can save you time and money by guiding you to buy the right items the first time around.
Invest in obedience training
If your pet is having difficulty settling down in his new environment, then you may have to invest in obedience training. Obedience training can also help to improve your dog’s temperament if they are timid or lack socialization skills. Furthermore, when you make a concerted effort to retrain your pet in their weaker areas, you get the opportunity to build a stronger bond too.
Try to keep them calm at all times
When a pet is stressed or anxious, it can cause them to act out in undesirable ways. Hence, the importance of keeping them calm at all times and trying to reduce their stress level if you can see signs of anxiety in their behavior; constant barking, panting, shivering, and destroying furniture and toys are some examples of this. Studies have also shown that pets can sense their owner’s stress levels. So if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed from working long hours at work, try to take corrective steps by working fewer hours or working from home to help your stress levels and your pet simultaneously.
All of these things can go a long way in welcoming a pet as peacefully as possible into the home. Reducing your stress levels will also result in a happier and more contented pet, which should make your relationship with them stronger from the start.
If you are passionate about helping animals that need to be rescued, check out the work of Pilots to the Rescue.
Image via Pexels